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Canada-China Scholars' Exchange Program

Canadian students at the college, undergraduate and graduate levels in Canada;

Canadian faculty members or research staff at a post-secondary institution in Canada; and

Canadian mid-career professionals who have a Master’s or PhD degree and have managerial, policy development or decision-making responsibilities.

Description: Global Affairs Canada and the Chinese Ministry of Education are offering short-term scholarships to Canadians wishing to study abroad in China. Scholarships are awarded for studies, research, language studies or a combination of studies and language studies at participating Chinese institutions.

Guidelines

Scholarships are available for studies and research, for a combination of studies and language studies, or for language studies only. Scholarships are not to be used towards a degree in China.

Scholarships are tenable at Chinese institutions that admit scholarship recipients of the Chinese Government Scholarship. These institutions are marked by an asterisk (*) in the list of participating Chinese institutions.

For students, each award is tenable for a period of no more than 12 months and no less than four months.

For mid-career professionals and faculty members, awards are tenable for a period of no more than 12 months and no less than eight weeks.

The scholarship is tenable between September 2019 and August 2020.

Scholarship value

The award component provided by the Chinese Government Scholarship includes:

a monthly stipend appropriate to the recipient’s status (Approximate values):

2,500 Yuan for undergraduate and language students;

3,000 Yuan for Master’s degree students; and

3,500 Yuan for PhD students and senior scholars.

on-campus accommodation or a subsidy for off-campus accommodation (if permitted); and

comprehensive medical insurance.

Note: Funding provided by Global Affairs Canada is made through its legal name, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).

The award component provided by DFATD includes travel to and from the destination in China via the most cost-effective route between their point of origin and the final destination, under the following conditions:

the itinerary must be approved by DFATD or the scholarship administrator, the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE);

the funding only covers the flights for travel to China from Canada at the beginning of the scholarship and for return travel to Canada upon completion of the scholarship;

scholarship recipients must make travel arrangements through a CBIE designated travel agency as soon as they obtain their visa;

DFATD can only cover the cost of approved flights; any additional costs are the responsibility of the scholarship recipient;

flights must be booked before March 13, 2020 by CBIE’s designated travel agency; and

scholarship recipients should arrive in China by the registration date indicated on the Chinese institution’s Admission Notice.

Note that the cost of transportation for Government of Canada employees is not covered.

Scholarship duration

Scholarships are awarded for:

four to 12 months for students; and

eight weeks to 12 months in the case of mid-career professionals and faculty members.

The Chinese academic year starts in September and ends in early July, including a winter vacation of approximately three weeks in January or February.

Scholarships can begin as of September 2019 and must end before August 2020.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

be Canadian citizens residing in Canada;

be either:

a full-time professor or research staff at a recognized post-secondary education or research institution in Canada;

a student enrolled in either a college, undergraduate or graduate program at a recognized post-secondary education institution in Canada; or

a mid-career professional from a Canadian government, media or cultural organization, or national education association, who has a graduate (Master's or doctoral) degree and has managerial, policy development or decision making responsibilities for at least three years with the organization;

have achieved the required level of written and spoken Chinese by the host institution in China, if applicable;

undertake studies in an approved subject area in a Chinese institution;

not be seeking a degree in China;

be under 45 years of age if applying under the “General Scholar” category of the China Scholarship Council (CSC); and

be under 50 years of age if applying under the “Senior Scholar” category of the CSC.

Please note that employees of the Government of Canada’s departments and agencies (including those on leave), although eligible for this scholarship, are not eligible for the travel benefit funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).

Desired qualifications

Applications will be assessed on the applicant's academic merit, proposed study or research plan, and the relevance of the proposal to their career plans.

Mid-career professionals must demonstrate strong leadership qualities through a commitment to innovation, creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Preference will be given to those candidates whose study or research plan is related to China.

If applying for language courses, priority may be given to those who have demonstrated a previous interest in the Chinese language and have a basic knowledge of the Chinese language.

Terms and conditions

Scholarship recipients:

must be enrolled at their host university for the time periods approved by the China Scholarship Council (CSC). Requests for deferred registration may not be accepted. Scholarship recipients who are unable to register on time must get permission from the Chinese institution directly;

must return to Canada upon completion of their program;

may not concurrently hold other scholarships offering similar benefits;

must sign a Letter of Agreement with DFATD in order to receive the in-kind grant towards the round-trip flight to and from China;

must have appropriate medical insurance coverage for the duration of the scholarship;

must submit a report to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada concerning their research or language learning in China within two months after the completion of their scholarship. The host post-secondary institution is also expected to evaluate the recipient's academic performance;

who are going to China for less than six months must apply for the X2 Visa and include the Admission Notice, the Visa Application Form for Study in China (JW201) and a passport valid for the duration of their stay in China;

who are going to China for more than six months must apply for the X1 Visa and include the completed Chinese Foreigners Physical Examination Form, the Blood Test Report, the Admission Notice, the Visa Application Form for Study in China (JW201) and a passport valid for the duration of their stay in China;

must register with the Chinese institution with the original copies of the Admission Notice, the Visa Application Form for Study in China, the Chinese Foreigners Physical Examination Form and the Blood Test Report (if applicable); and

must focus on their studies, research or language studies at the Chinese host institution. Recipients may not undertake paid employment in China during their scholarship.

NOTE: Pre-selected candidates must submit a Letter of Pre-Admission (or formal acceptance to do research) from one of their selected Chinese post-secondary participating institutions to the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canada by fax at (613) 789-0262 or by email at daizhehua@cnembedu.ca within two weeks of receiving their award letter or by April 12, 2019. Those without the Pre-admission Letter should accept CSC’s placement of university.

Any questions?

Deadline

The deadline to submit the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) online application is March 1, 2019, 11:59 p.m. EDT.

The deadline to receive the China Scholarship Council (CSC) online application form and supporting documentation by mail is March 1, 2019.

Applications received late or incomplete by the scholarship administrator, the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), will not be considered.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all documents required by mail are received at CBIE by the deadline. Supporting documents, other than the ones requested, will not be accepted.

An acknowledgement of receipt will not be provided. It is strongly recommended that the applicant send all the required supporting documents to CBIE in one package by a method that provides confirmation of its delivery, such as a courier service or registered mail.

Notification

Applicants must ensure that a permanent email address is included in their application to receive notification.

Pre-selection

Applicants will be contacted by March 28, 2019 regarding the status of their application. Pre-selected candidates will receive an award letter which they will need to submit as soon as possible to the three Chinese institutions listed on their application to obtain a letter of pre-admission.

Pre-selected candidates will need to submit a Letter of Pre-Admission from one of their selected Chinese post-secondary participating institutions to the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canada by fax at (613) 789-0262 or by email at daizhehua@cnembedu.ca within two weeks of receiving their award letter or by April 12, 2019. The Letter of Pre-Admission is required to obtain an Admission Notice for the China Scholarship Council program and the visa application document (JW201). Those without the Pre-admission Letter should accept CSC’s placement of university.

Final selection

CBIE will communicate with successful candidates by early August 2019.

Successful candidates will receive an Admission Notice from the Chinese host institution along with other material related to the visa application process and travel to China around the same time period as the final selection.

Selection of the scholarship recipients is subject to the CSC agreeing to the terms of admission of the host university or institution in China.

Application process

To be considered for the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program, the applicant must complete the following two-step process.

Applicants must first complete and submit the online application form of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) available on this site and provide the supporting documents as requested.

Applicants must complete and submit the CSC online application from the China Scholarship Council (CSC) website as well as an application package submitted by mail.

Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered. Applicants are required to submit both the DFATD application form and the CSC application form.

Step One: DFATD Online Application

Applicants are encouraged to carefully read the instructions below before beginning the online form. If applicants experience difficulty filling out or submitting the form, they should send an email to scholarships-bourses@cbie.ca.

Instructions

Under “For Canadians” section, applicants will need to go to the Canada-China Scholars' Exchange Program and click on Apply Now.

enter data in the fields marked mandatory, following instructions for each item;

upload all required supporting documents;

upon completion, verify the data prior to submission;

print the form for their records using the print function in the browser; and

click SUBMIT to provide their form electronically to DFATD. The candidate will receive a confirmation message and reference number once their form is submitted.

NOTE: Applicants will have the possibility to save their application and complete it at a later time. Both saved and submitted applications will appear on the applicant’s profile homepage.

Information required in the application form:

Letter of intent: In the box provided, the candidate must describe, in English or French, the nature of the research or studies to be undertaken and explain the rationale for study in China and for the choice of institution, the program, and the supervisor if applicable. The candidate must also indicate how the proposed program of study or research will relate to their future career (maximum 10 000 characters).

Referees: The candidate must provide the name, title, relation and organisation of the two referees submitting letters of recommendation.

Academic qualifications: The candidate must provide a list of degrees obtained and other vocational/language studies relevant to this application.

Academic distinction: The candidate can list up to three distinctions, prizes, or scholarships received and/or expected, and indicate the value in each case.

Publications: The candidate can list up to three scholarly publications in the bibliographic format appropriate to his/her discipline including an abstract for each.

Relevant work experience: this section is mandatory for mid-career professional, professors or research staff.

Other achievements (maximum 1500 characters): The candidate must include any other information about their studies or career to date that shows their academic merit, their leadership abilities, accomplishments and/or engagement to innovation and creativity.

Supporting documentation to upload to the application form

All supporting documentation may be submitted in English or in French, however pre-selected candidates will be required to provide English translations by April 12, 2019.

The following documents must be uploaded and attached to the online application form in one of the following formats: .pdf, .jpg, .doc, .docx, .txt or .gif. Each document must be smaller than 5 Mb in order for the application to upload successfully.

Certificate of admission: a certificate of pre-admission from the host institution or copy of correspondence testifying that the applicant has requested admission or will have access to the facilities needed to complete the proposed research project. Email correspondence with the international admissions office or a potential academic collaborator is accepted.

Proof of Canadian citizenship: copy of passport (valid for the duration of the scholarship); a baptism certificate is not accepted as proof of Canadian citizenship.

Copy of official transcripts: a transcript of the highest post-secondary studies completed (academic records including colleges and CÉGEPs) and a transcript of studies in progress (if applicable).

Study or research proposal: an essay describing your study or research plan (maximum two pages).

Copy of diploma: for the highest degree obtained.

Proof of registration for studies in progress: (if applicable).

Step Two: China Scholarship Council (CSC) Application

Applicants must complete and submit the online application from the China Scholarship Council website. Please use Firefox or Internet Explorer (11.0) to fill out the online application. The CSC requires that all applicants submit their online application form in English.

Applicants must:

create a profile by clicking on “Register”;

select “Type A” under the “Program Category”;

indicate on the form “1241” as the “Agency Number”;

select three institutions on the application. Those who indicate that they are not willing to consider alternatives may be withdrawn from consideration if the institution that they have indicated is deemed inappropriate by CSC, or is not able to offer a place;

download, print and sign one copy of the application once completed; and

ensure to include a photo of the applicant on the first page of each copy of the application form.

NOTE: Candidates must apply either under the “General Scholar” category or the “Senior Scholar” category of the CSC. Candidates applying under the “General Scholar” category must hold at least a high school diploma and be under the age of 45. Candidates applying under the “Senior Scholar” category to undertake research in China must hold at least a Master’s degree or be associate professors or research staff and be under the age of 50.

It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that the documents are received at CBIE by the deadline. All supporting documentation may be submitted in English or in French, however pre-selected candidates that submitted supporting documents in French will be required to provide English translations by April 12, 2019.

Supporting documentation to submit by mail

The following documents must be sent by mail:

CSC online application form: the completed and signed CSC online application form with a picture.

Two letters of recommendation: Two letters of recommendation from a professor, supervisor or employer, on letterhead, dated and signed that clearly identifies the candidate’s name. The letters should explain the nature of the study or research and how the candidate will benefit from this scholarship program.

Applicants in fine arts, music and architecture are required to submit artwork samples as follows (applicants in the history or theory of art, of music, or of architecture are not required to submit samples):

Applicants in the fine arts, painting, graphic arts, sculpture and photography1 must submit six color pictures of six work pieces on a USB key, CD or DVD.

Film-makers and video artists1 must submit at least one recent film, indicating when it was made, how the applicant was involved in its production and the running time. These must be provided on a USB key, CD or DVD, be dated, and clearly identified with the applicant's name.

Applicants in music1 must submit a USB key, CD or DVD of three original work pieces totalling no more than 30 minutes.

Applicants in architecture1 must submit up to six reproductions of drawings, provided on a USB key, CD or DVD.

It is strongly recommended that the applicant send all the required supporting documents to CBIE in one package by a method that provides confirmation of its delivery, such as a courier service or registered mail.

CBIE is unable to acknowledge receipt, by letter or telephone, but questions can be addressed to scholarships-bourses@cbie.ca or 613-237-4820.

Review procedures

A pre-selection committee, consisting of one representative from the Government of Canada, one representative from the Chinese Embassy in Canada, and three experts invited by the Government of Canada, will nominate a list of candidates to the CSC for approval and placement at Chinese institutions.

The final selection of scholarship recipients is made by the CSC.

Conditions

All recommendations of the Canadian scholarship selection committee and decisions made by the CSC are final. There is no appeal process.

The selection committee does not provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates. Applications submitted directly to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada will not be considered.

1Only samples as specified above will be presented to the selection committee. Samples can be returned following the competition; please indicate the return address. However CBIE, while taking all reasonable care, cannot be held responsible for the loss or damage of artwork samples.

Background

The Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program (CCSEP) is based on reciprocal agreements between the Government of Canada and the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

Established in 1973, the CCSEP was the result of an undertaking by then Chinese premier Zhou Enlai and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Over the past 45 years, more than 1000 scholars have participated in the program. Canadian scholars have brought new perspectives to their host country and brought back enhanced knowledge and understanding of China.

The original Memorandum of Understanding was modified in 2016 to allow for a wider range of applicants.